The objective of this research is to synthesize and structurally characterize new ternary copper (I) and copper (II) complexes in which thiolate sulfur is bound directly to the metal ion. In the copper (II) case, prevention of the normal redox process involving Cu (II) and mercaptide ligands has been accomplished by prior coordination of multidentate amine ligands and macrocyclic ligands capable of significantly shifting the redox potential of the metal. In the copper (I) case, conditions have been found which allow the formation of a limited number of new ternary copper-amine-thiolate complexes. X-ray structural investigations of the complexes obtained are currently underway.